King Arthur loses burial battle. A self-styled druid who identifies himself as a legendary British king lost his bid to rebury immediately prehistoric human remains at a sacred pagan burial site. John Timothy Rothwell—who changed his name to King Arthur Pendragon in court documents—lost his court battle to win custody of the cremated remains from a team of experts at Sheffield University. London's High Court ruled scientists had not acted unreasonably three years ago when they dug up the remains of more than 40 bodies, thought to be more than 5,000 years old. Forensic experts now are allowed to keep the ashes for study and analysis until 2015. Researchers are expected to rebury them in the same spot where they were found at England's prehistoric pagan stone circle at Stonehenge.
Quote by first century apostle, not First Avenger. "We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don't know what to do, we never give up." Who said it? According to a recent poll, more Americans attributed the passage to comic book hero Captain America, Martin Luther King Jr. and former President George W. Bush than its actual source—the Apostle Paul in the New Testament book of 2 Corinthians. A survey commissioned by the American Bible Society found 56 percent of Americans surveyed misattributed the quote. Only 12 percent correctly attributed it to the Bible. The survey by Harris Interactive was conducted online among 2,572 adults.
Failed circumcision gets mom probation. A 30-year-old Portland, Ore., woman who botched a home circumcision of her 3-month-old son has been sentenced to five years probation. Keemonta Peterson, inspired after reading the Old Testament, decided she wanted her son to be circumcised. But because she believed he was too old to be circumcised by doctors, she decided to do it herself, after watching YouTube videos. She called 911 after the failed circumcision left her son bleeding uncontrollably and in great pain. Peterson pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal mistreatment and agreed to undergo mental health treatment and work with a mental health probation officer. Two other charges of abuse were dismissed. Doctors completed the circumcision and the boy has fully recovered, Multnomah County Deputy District Attorney John Casalino said.
Churches to reclaim property. A prominent Czech church leader has welcomed an agreement that would allow churches to reclaim land and buildings seized under communist rule but forfeit state subsidies in return. A draft settlement finalized in Prague allows religious groups to retrieve assets confiscated after the 1948 communist takeover, while obtaining financial compensation for others. Separately, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced his government will return properties seized from recognized minority religious groups in 1936. Some Catholics and most Protestants are not on the government's official list of minority religions.
—Compiled from Religion News Service
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